Observer

He was not brought in to stop the run. He was brought in as a DE, who has now shifted to NT. And you're right: not his fault.

If you think a Patriots team with nothing more to earn will give a crap about the Bills, you're crazy. Expect revenge next season. If that game means something, the Pats will win by 30+.

You still have faith in Merriman? Do you have a time machine?

No. I didn't realize that.

Exactly. I guess the "Simon phone" people were right on the verge of making it big when the iPhone came out.

I hereby revoke your right to watch football. What did you expect? Bruce Smith, 1990? Dareus is a beast and he has no help around him. None. To lead a team in sacks from the NT position has to be almost unheard of (I understand he was DE for the first 8 so it's not precisely a fair comparison).

My point wasn't necessarily to specifically compare him to the Bills very accurate and clutch kicker, who at age 34 could still play for 5 strong years. My point is that re-signing Bell is not a priority. They will probably do it because he's cheap, but let's not compare the Bell project's progress with the Peters LT project. Bell at best is a backup LT, and he only starts because the Bills have no one on the line with agile enough feet to play LT. I like Bell the project BTW. He's one of the guys I hope they re-sign but if they don't, it's not a big loss.

He's not a priority. Always been a project. I'd re-sign Lindell before Bell.

Steve Johnson and Chandler are the only contracts expiring after this season. Big guaranteed money to Fred makes no sense. Economic reality.

Jackson, Levitre, and Byrd are all signed through 2012. Jackson can probably be had for an incentive-laden contract extension. He's not getting younger and RBs are largely fungible. Levitre is worth resigning now. He's their best lineman. Byrd? Who knows. Not worth re-signing early. It's important that they not create a hole with Stevie Johnson leaving. That's the priority this off-season, followed by Levitre, who is at least already under contract. Then it's important to re-sign Urbik and Chandler. After that, the FA list has Lindell, who's been a reliable kicker, and no one else who matters. Maybe Rinehart? http://buffalowdown.com/2011/12/15/buffalo-bills-2012-free-agents-complete-list/

Way too risky for that price. Even if he's Peyton Manning, who's to say he doesn't get two concussions and end his career by year 3? If this was a team where the biggest hole was QB and all other positions were solid, you maybe consider that kind of price. But giving up three #1s and two #2s would be the death of an already dead franchise. Who's going to catch the ball? Who's going to protect his blind side? Who's going to pressure the opposing QB? The answer to those questions can't be 4-5 years away or Luck will suck here like everyone before him.

And was an incredibly dangerous returner. And could break tackles. Spiller is no Reggie Bush, but I do like him.

If you are making the argument that OLB is a bigger priority than DE, you'll get no argument from me. I see them as 1 and 1A positions of need. If they take either one with the first pick, I'll be happy. A partially sheared achilles tendon, to me, does not sound 100% but I'll be happy to be wrong. I love Williams.

I have not seen evidence of this playmaking ability. He's a good player. I like him. But he's not Reggie Bush. And I agree that Gailey abandons the run before he should.

Agree 100%. I forgot about those returns but those were the best Bills KO returns I've seen in a long time.

Dareus has been playing NT since midway through this season. If they move him to DE, then they need a NT. Whatever the case, they need 2 linemen for the 3-4 unless you have more confidence in Kyle Williams's achilles than me. It doesn't matter much since they couldn't hope to find both DEs in the same draft. If they grabbed one and then Williams comes back 100%, all the better. I have zero problem drafting a QB--if they think a really good QB is there for the taking. What I have a problem with is trading away picks to take a chance on someone when the Bills have a lot of needs. Do you honestly think Andrew Luck would lead this team to the playoffs if the Bills have nothing before a 3rd round pick for the next 2 years? I don't.

You, too, make my point. You're right to say that luck plays a HUGE factor, which is why you need more picks, not less. Packers offensive line is a mess right now. They lost first and second strong RTs in that game alone. Then there was shuffling all over the line and guys looked bad.

I have upgraded QB a fwe notches on the needs list but with so many glaring holes, the last thing the Bills need is less picks. Needs before QB LDE RDE LOLB ROLB (on linebacker issue, anyone notice Moats just getting swallowed lately. Guy looks like Maybin v1.0 all of a sudden) LT C (depending on Wood's fragility issues) Then maybe QB.

Are you attacking the Patriots' record of success? I guess you'd prefer the Bills trade up into the first again for JP Losman redux. Thanks for making my point so perfectly about the luck of the draft and needing more picks by citing Brady. He was of course a 7th rounder. Rodgers was a low first. Brees a high second. Romo was undrafted. Schaub a 3rd rounder. Those are the top 5 NFL passers this year. The NFL draft is an informed crapshoot. The better teams don't make less picks if they have the choice. To move up to #1 from 8-12 will cost the Bills more than a 2nd rounder. It would probably take multiple seconds and at least next year's first. On a team riddled with holes, that would be stupid beyond belief. Just use the picks and keep building.

Trading up is stupid and most GMs know it--or at least the good ones do (see Patriots strategy of trading down for more picks almost EVERY year). You want more picks--not less-in the draft. The NFL draft has a huge luck side to it. Huge.

No.

Spiller is a fine change of pace back. Waste of a number 1: Yes. Do I dislike the guy? No. Dareus leads the team in sacks. To the Dareus haters: Do you have any idea how hard that is to do from the NT spot? Imagine if anyone good (no offense to Edwards) was playing on either side of him. Watching Fitz bums me out. On many throws, he looked out of sync with the WRs. HE was getting hit more today. But he also didn't look good. I really like the guy. Let's hope next year is a reset with people healthy and he comes back looking like games 1-7.

I wish there was a talk show half as good.

Considering that a #1 primetime network show just signed him to its lead role and moved its production from LA to NYC to do it, I'd say you're wrong. I will say that although I'm a daily listener, it's not as funny as it was when Artie was on, just because they don't have a fulltime comic anymore. But no one else can do what Stern does. As a huge fan of talk radio, I truly wish someone could.

The irrelevant parent council's are falling over themselves to pan the decision. I've never seen it before but I'll watch now. Assume it's a crappy Idol-like show.